Buying a new Fridge

Some questions you need to consider when looking to buy a new fridge:

• How much space do you have in your kitchen, utility room or garage?
• How much food do you need to store?
• What type of food do you need to store?
• Do you usually buy fresh or frozen foods?
• Do you need a separate drinks fridge?
• Do you want a built-in fridge or a freestanding model?
• How much do you value Energy Saving?

If you live in a flat, or have limited kitchen space, you may only need, or have room for a small fridge, like an under counter model. If you have a big family and need to store plenty of fresh food, then you should look for a upright fridge with lots of capacity and practical storage options.

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Fridge Size and Capacity
As a general rule the larger the external dimensions of the fridge, the larger the capacity. It is important to check the width and height in particular, to ensure the product fits into the space in your kitchen, utility room or garage. Where width is tight there are compact fridges which are narrower than most. The depth of the fridge is generally less of an issue, but it does tend to vary a lot between different fridges, so it is worth checking this also.



Fridges designed to sit under a work surface are generally referred to as under counter models. These generally take up less space and are great where work surfaces space in the kitchen is limited. However, they tend to offer the smallest amount of storage space for your food, so it is important to choose a fridge with ample shelving and good storage options.

Upright fridges are higher than the work surface but some are still small enough to fit under high-mounted wall cupboards. These taller models tend to offer greater storage space but obviously restrict worktop space. Think carefully about the amount of space you have to put the product and the amount and types of food you think you will need to store before deciding which type is right for you.

The storage capacity of a fridge (measured in cubic feet or litres) gives you an idea of how much storage space you will have. The most useful measure is the Net capacity, (as opposed to Gross), as this indicates the usable space. However, a large fridge capacity is worthless without practical storage options. For instance some cheap fridges may offer large capacity but skimp on the number of shelves or racks, so are not very practical.

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Fridge Energy Efficiency
All fridges sold in the UK are now rated for energy efficiency. These rating ranges from A (high efficiency) to G (low efficiency). The higher the efficiency the lower the power consumption, electricity usage and running cost. The best fridges for energy efficiency are now rated as A+ or A++ but such models can cost a more to buy than the potential electricity cost savings made over the life of the product.



Conversely some cheap fridges are less energy efficient and end up costing you more over the life of the product. It is worth doing your sums before you buy.

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